The Revolutionary War, Essay Example

British Strengths and Weaknesses

Strengths: At the time of the Revolutionary War, the British had previous victories over other nations, so they had a military presence with experience. Also, British soldiers had plenty of equipment, ammunition, food, training and discipline. They were also well paid and had the advantage of hiring German troops to help them fight (A&E Television Networks, 2012).

Weaknesses: The British were fighting away from their home front. They had to transport supplies, troops and military orders to America, which took months. The war was more expensive to the British that it was for the Americans (A&E Television Networks, 2012).

American Strengths and Weaknesses

Strengths: Americans had the home front advantage and American soldiers were also more patriotic, because they were fighting for their freedom, their families and their country, as opposed to the British who were fighting for their monarchy with mostly hired soldiers (A&E Television Networks, 2012). America had an ally in France who assisted the Americans with supplies, clothing, food, funding and military assistance in other parts of the world to keep additional British forces at bay. Also, the American militia was a strong force (Ferling, 2010).

Weaknesses: The American military lacked experience and resources and they were often victims of starvation, disease and bad weather conditions. They were also undisciplined and lacked adequate training (A&E Television Networks, 2012).

How America Won Against Britain

According to the video on A&E Television Networks (2012), America won the Revolutionary War mainly because of the heart and the determination of the Patriots who were fighting for independence, family and freedom. Also, the help of the French and the American militia was instrumental in the victory, by helping to wear the British down. The fact that the Patriots were fighting on home soil was also key to their victory over the British. Also, because the British had to transport supplies, troops and military orders across the ocean, the war ended up costing them too much than it turned out to be worth.

References

A&E Television Networks. (2012). America The Story of Us [Video file]. On The History.com. Retrieved from http://www.history.com/shows/america-the-story-of-us/videos/american-revolution#american-revolution

Ferling, J. (2010). Myths of the American Revolution. Smithsonian.com. Retrieved from http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history-archaeology/Myths-of-the-American-Revolution.html?c=y&page=6

The American Revolution. (2012). 11a. American and British Strengths and Weaknesses. USHistory.org. Retrieved from http://www.ushistory.org/us/11a.asp